Sustainability and Privilege: A Critique of Social Design Practice

Abstract

In Sustainability and Privilege, Gabriel Arboleda wrestles with the language of social design, sometimes known as social impact design, public interest design or, in my corner of the field, community-engaged design. The disparate language speaks to varied intentions and methodologies of practice among social designers today. Arboleda’s account stands at odds with stories told by the “starchitects” of social design. As indicated by the book’s subtitle, he critiques the role of architects working in (rather than with) underresourced communities and the unpersuasive justifications given for their work, with insufficient recognition of lessons learned. Arboleda ultimately offers a research-based call for a participatory practice that redistributes power in social design processes to better meet local needs. As the field continues to gain prominence, his evaluation of social design practice is useful in centering the well-being of communities.